Snow C.A.T. Live!

Like my post here from Sunday night when I screen grabbed Tony's Instagram asking what Arctic figures/vehicles do you want to see next. He waited four days before the end to post a question on his personal Instagram?
 
Revox said:
Seeing as someone mentioned it, I never had one but damn if the Phantom isn't still the coolest plane I think I've ever seen, I love the heck out of it. I know it's far too big to ever get a Classified version but it's up there on my WHALE/Tomahawk/APC 'vehicles we'll never get' wishlist.
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The Phantom is awesome. Tragically, it is one of the handful of vehicles I used to own but had to let go due to space. Phantom, Rolling Thunder, and Mobile Command Center, all big, beautiful real estate hogs that graced my vintage Joe collection briefly but memorably. Currently I'm working up the courage to let go of the Terror Drome.
 
So 350 away from Lady Jaye unlock seems like she is a certainty... But Flint seems like a longshot now. 4,000 backers on the final day is likely a bridge too far.
 
That needle has not been moving as much as it really needed to today, and that's pretty depressing.
 
If it doesn't reach Flint it would end up being either the third or fourth lowest backed Haslab (Khetanna, Unicron, Giant-Man). Which would be interesting to say the least.

However it is moving pretty well and Lady Jaye should be unlocked sometime tonight. Honestly if she unlocks today 4,000 is doable tomorrow.
 
We have to allow for the -potential- for the opposite effect here. The closer we get to deadline without unlocking Flint, the more likely people that were steadfast in backing from the beginning with the assumption that 'we'll definitely get it all in the end' will be tempted to back out. How many of those big last days for HasLabs happened after everything was already unlocked? How many of them happened when they were still 4k backers away from the final tier?
(That's not rhetorical... I actually am asking because I don't know)
 
Even if Flint doesn't unlock, I'm sure we'll get that figure down the road. While I love more stuff packed into the cost of the Haslab, it's not that much of a problem if I have to pay $25 for him in the future. I see some people complaining about the tiers for this Haslab. I like them all. And I think packing variants of existing characters with this vehicle makes more sense to me than putting new arctic characters in with it. I'd rather have new-to-the-line characters be released at retail. Variations of existing characters just make better sense for Haslabs and exclusives.

There are plenty of reasons for people to not be wanting to back this Haslab. Especially at this moment in time. But I think it just boils down to the Snow Cat not being as sexy as some other vehicles we've gotten. And snow-based items probably don't sell as well as neutral vehicles. However, it's cool (pun intended). It has history and plenty of cartoon presence. But it's also just not as iconic as the HISS or Rattler. And that's fine. Let this one be more modest in its success.
 
Ha! They are doing a final day question & answer for the HasLab! A little late for that. They should have done it Friday or this Monday at the latest.
 
Ashtalon said:
Even if Flint doesn't unlock, I'm sure we'll get that figure down the road.
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I'm not convinced. He seems like a fairly easy one to shelve and use as punishment, as well as fuel for the next HasLab to show how serious they are about not making stuff that doesn't fund. Not saying it's impossible they'd release him eventually, but I'm not convinced that it's a sure thing by any stretch. I'd say it's possible, but more likely that it wouldn't happen rather than would.


Ashtalon said:
. I see some people complaining about the tiers for this Haslab. I like them all.
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Oh, me too. Totally agree with you on this subject. Don't get me wrong, if Hasbro has no intention of releasing more arctic-type characters, I'd prefer they go here than not get released at all. But generally speaking, variants and other skippable things are the correct things to use as incentives for HasLabs and exclusives.
Although, I still believe it was the biggest mistake they could have made to not use this as an opportunity to reveal more winter-themed figures coming down the pipe. Not doing so was just foolish beyond comprehension. It's like the whole team just turned their brains off.


Ashtalon said:
Let this one be more modest in its success.
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I wish it were that simple. But I just don't think it is. If the entire HasLab were just for the SnowCat and anything past funding was just gravy for Hasbro - I wouldn't care how many backers it had beyond 8k. But when they tie all their pricing to tiers that we don't get, I 100% feel like I'm getting ripped off if I buy the thing, and Hasbro must know that. We discussed far earlier in this thread that the problem with these tiers is they don't feel like value added, they feel like when they don't fund it's value -removed-. And that's very bad.

Also, I don't think Hasbro, or any other large company, handles 'modest success' very well. Knowing the kind of absolute fucking morons that work at higher levels of Hasbro (yes, specifically Hasbro in this case), they could very well take this to mean fans don't like wintery stuff and cancel any and all other upcoming figures with a winter theme to them. Because, again, that is literally the kind of people that work at Hasbro (above the Joe team we know and love, I mean).
 
First, I think you're kinda crazy to think a winter Flint wouldn't be released, especially since winter Lady Jaye is certain to unlock. They're not going to leave that fruit dangling. They'll release him. Granted the line is scheduled 18-24 months in advance, so it may take some time to get him out. Also, Flint's upper torso jacket sculpt was likely going to be used for other characters. They'll make the mold and use it several times.

Who knows what kind of lessons if any will be learned by Hasbro. Who even knows what kind of lessons they should learn, other than maybe do some more advertising for their next Hasbro campaign and reveal some tie-in products, ie more snow-based figures (Snow Job reissue, Polar Battle Bear reveal) which would help sell the Snow Cat. Otherwise, what lessons are there? Certainly, snow-based items (and other environmentally themed) probably don't sell as well as general weather ones. I don't think they needed to learn this from a Haslab. Maybe the next Haslab has a lower price. Maybe they just switch to made-to-order items, like the Marvel Legends has done. Steering away from more arctic themed stuff isn't that radical of a shift for the line, since there's not really that huge well of characters or vehicles to pull from. Just not sure what will be learned. But this Haslab will meet its base amount. And at least 1 tier, maybe even 2. Does every Haslab need to meet all tiers to be considered a success?
 
Snow C.A.T. is at 9,920 right now. Lady Jaye should unlock in the next hour or two. The Bivouac is all but guaranteed at this point and Flint is looking pretty good as well. Going into tomorrow with over 10,000 backers is a good thing. I have almost no doubt that there will be at least 2,000 backers tomorrow, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is double that.

Here's hoping.
 
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